TO STUDY THE CHANGES IN SERIAL LUNG FUNCTIONS IN INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE (ILD) PATIENTS.

Background: The assessment of lung function, particularly lung volumes and gas transfer, recorded initially upon patient presentation and subsequent follow-up evaluations, along with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest, can facilitate the evaluation of the natural history of the disease or provide insights to guide therapy in interstitial lung disease (ILD). The utilization of available data related to connective tissue-related ILD (CTD-ILD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), smoke exposure, as well as any potential correlation of treatment with changes in lung functions, can offer valuable insights. Objectives: The main aim of this study was to study the changes in lung functions of ILD patients over one year apart, and whatever observations could be noticed based on case record form. Methodology: The study was conducted in a Tertiary Care Centre to evaluate changes in lung functions in patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) over one-year period, specifically assessing increases or decreases in lung function values. The data was collected on ILD patients over 18 years of age who had undergone two Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) one year apart, between 2013 and 2015, from the PFT register available in the Centre's PFT lab. Results: This study revealed that 81.25% of patients fell within the age range of 40-70 years. Furthermore, it was found that 77.5% of the patients experienced lung function restrictions. In fact, 95% of the patients exhibited HRCT chest images consistent with Nonspecific Interstitial Pnuemonia (NSIP), while 5% displayed Usual Interstitial Pnuemonia (UIP) patterns. Additionally, within the study group, 47.75% were diagnosed with connective tissue related ILDs. Notably, patients with a history of GERD experienced a median fall in FVC of 130ml/year, compared to 170ml/year in 15 patients without GERD. Conclusion: Thus the findings of the study hold the potential to improve the clinical care and outcomes of interstitial lung disease patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]